The embodiments of the present invention relate to a display and operating device, particularly for a motor vehicle, having a display area and an operating element that is disposed on the display area, wherein the operating element for detecting an operating action is movable on the display area within a region of movement. Also provided is an operating element for a display and operating device, and a motor vehicle having a display and operating device.
During a long period of time of technical development, display devices for representing items of information, and operating elements for influencing the items of information represented on the display areas of the display devices, were spatially separated. A consolidation of display areas and operating elements has been experienced by way of the development of so-called touch screens, such as contact-sensitive display screens. Touch screens are of great importance in numerous technical fields. In particular, touch screens are also increasingly often offered in motor vehicles. By means of such a touch screen, the driver can be offered numerous operating possibilities, wherein the selection and the representation of the operating possibilities may be modified depending on the situation. Nowadays, touch screens with liquid crystal displays are predominantly employed. Contact measurement can be carried out by means of resistive, capacitive, and/or inductive methods.
US 2014/0098998 A1 discloses a display device for a motor vehicle, in which the display is generated by means of a rear-projection device. Herein, a projection device generates an image on the rear side of a partially transparent projection area. The front side of the projection area faces a vehicle user, the projected image being visible on said front side. The system disclosed furthermore comprises an infrared camera that is directed onto the rear side of the projection area, and an infrared light-emitting diode for illuminating the projection area. The image that is detected by the infrared camera, by virtue of the semi-transparent projection area, comprises objects which are located on the front side of the projection area. In this way, a hand or another object that identifies a vehicle user may be identified. The system can therefore be used for authenticating a user.
A refinement of the afore-described rear-projection system became known by way of a public presentation by the Texas Instruments company at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, USA. The refined rear-projection system can identify operating actions that have been performed using one or a plurality of fingers, as they can typically be used in the case of the afore-described conventional touch screens. In particular, the system can represent virtual operating elements such as switch areas, for example, on the display area, and can identify if and when the virtual operating elements are activated by a finger.
It is important in particular in motor vehicles that the user is able to perform operating actions rapidly and in a simple manner, without the attention of said user being diverted from the traffic on the road for too long. Therefore, despite the use of touch screens, it is typical for physical operating elements to be provided for the most important operating actions. One example of such an operating element is a rotary selector for regulating a volume of an audio system of the motor vehicle. The operation of a touch screen is often predefined by hierarchically structured menus. Another example of an often provided physical operating element is a push button, in the case of the activation of which the user, while bypassing the sub-menus of the menu hierarchy, can return to a main menu from any state.
It is disadvantageous in physical operating elements that are attached outside the display area that the user must perform operating actions outside of the combined display and operating area that said driver has become accustomed to by using touch screens. For alleviating this disadvantage, the already mentioned system that was presented at the 2013 CES comprises a rotary button that is attached to the display area. This consists of an annular rotatable operating element attached fixedly to the display area. Markings that are capable of optical detection are attached to the rear side of the rotary button. A rotation of the operating element is identified in that the rotation of the markings is detected by a camera. An internal area of the annular operating element remains free. Therefore, the display area can be seen on the internal area. Thus, variable representations can be projected in the afore-described manner onto the internal face. Furthermore, operating actions that are performed on the internal area can be detected. The operating element may thus be used as a rotary/push actuator, since said operating element permits both pushing operations (on the internal area) as well as rotating operations.
One of the objects of the inventive display and operating device is based on providing a display and operating device which permits a comparatively large number of operating actions. This object is furthermore based on providing an operating element for a display and operating device, and a motor vehicle, each permitting a comparatively large number of operating actions.
These objects are achieved by a display and operating device that is movable in a translatory manner on the display area. In other words, the operating element can be displaced on the display area. In that the operating element is movable in a translatory manner, the former can be used for detecting a multiplicity of operating actions. The operating element herein can be used for detecting a plurality of mutually dissimilar operating actions. That operating action for the detection of which the operating element is adapted in a specific state or at a specific point in time, respectively, may be displayed to the user by means of the display device, for example. The operating element can be used for setting a specific value in that a scale of values is displayed on the display area, the user being able to move the operating element along said scale of values. The same operating element can be used in another mode for setting another value in that the scale is modified. For example, a scale may represent an interior temperature of a motor vehicle that is to be set by the user, and another scale (represented in another mode or at another point in time, respectively) can represent a brightness of an interior lighting that is to be set by the user.
The operating element is attached to the display area of the display and operating device. The maximum region in which the operating element is movable is thus limited to the display area. A translatory movement on the display area can be possible in every direction such that the operating element can be movable from every arbitrary point of the display area to every other arbitrary point of the display area on every arbitrary path between the two points. An exemplary application for an operating element that is designed in such a manner is a temperature controller for a motor vehicle. A representation of a plan view of an interior of the motor vehicle can be displayed on the display area. In order for the temperature in a specific region of the motor vehicle to be modified, the operating element can be moved to that location on the display area that corresponds to the specific region. The nominal temperature that is envisaged for the specific region can subsequently be set. Setting can likewise be performed by way of the operating element, to which end said operating element can be designed so as to be rotatable, for example.
The operating element is particularly suitable for a display device that is configured as a rear-projection device, wherein the display area is a projection area of the rear-projection device. A particularly versatile use of the inventive operating element is made possible by the afore-described projection device and by an identification unit that is configured as a camera system, for example.
The operating element on that side thereof that faces the display area may have at least one marking, in which an identification unit of the display and operating device is adapted for identifying a position of the at least one marking on the display area. The design of the marking may be made dependent on the choice of the display and operating device. If the display and operating device is a rear-projection device, the marking may comprise a colored marking of a specific shape. The color and the shape of the marking herein are advantageously to be chosen such that the marking can be identified as reliably as possible by the identification unit. The term color herein is to be understood as all properties which influence the reflection, absorption, and refraction of electromagnetic waves. The color may be chosen such that as high a proportion as possible of the light output that is emitted by the rear-projection device is reflected. The color may also be chosen such that light of a specific wavelength is reflected. The shape may be chosen such that any confusion with other patterns that are detected by the identification unit is minimized. For example, a fingertip that is placed onto the display area is detected by the camera system of the rear-projection device as an approximately circular pattern. In order for the marking to be made distinguishable therefrom as positively as possible, the shape of said marking may be rectangular. The shape may also be more complex. For example, an interrupted shape, such as is formed by a plurality of non-contiguous polygons, for example, is conceivable.
The marking can also have electric, in particular resistive, inductive, and/or capacitive properties. Such a design is advantageous in particular when the display and operating device comprises a touch screen which is operable by means of resistive, inductive, and/or capacitive effects.
Instead of, or in addition to, markings, a movement of the operating element can also be identified in other ways. An operating element can have velocity sensors, for example, which are able to identify a translatory and/or a rotary movement (that is to say a displacement and/or a rotation). The information pertaining to the movement identified can be transmitted to downstream processing devices, wherein the information can preferably be electrically transmitted. The information can be wirelessly transmitted. The information can also be transmitted by means of electrical conductor paths that are integrated in the display area.
The operating element can be fastened to the display area in various manners. For example, the operating element can have magnetic properties such that the latter is held on the display area by virtue of magnetism. The magnetic counterforce can be generated by a countermagnet that is disposed on the rear side of the display area. Alternatively or additionally, the display area per se can also be magnetic. The operating element can also be removable. In other words, it may be possible for a user to take off and remove the operating element from the display area. However, in particular when employed in motor vehicles, the force by way of which the operating element adheres to the display area (that is to say the magnetic force of attraction, for example) is to be chosen at least so great that the operating element cannot be displaced on its own, that is to say without a contributory action by the user, or slip off or fall from the display area. Moreover, the force by way of which the operating element adheres to the display area is to be chosen at most so great that the operating element can be moved by the user with an appropriate effort.
The operating element on that side thereof that faces the display area has at least one guide pin, wherein the display area and/or the operating element have/has at least one bore that is adapted for receiving the at least one guide pin, wherein the region of movement of the translatory movement of the operating element is predefined by the shape of the at least one bore. The advantage of this design lies in that the potential translatory movements of the operating element can be restricted, on the one hand. In other words, the translatory movements of the operating element can be predefined and restricted by the choice of the bores in the display area and/or in the operating element. For example, if a bore has the shape of a horizontal line, the operating element can only be moved along this line on the display area. More complex shapes of the bores are also possible. However, the bore has to be chosen so as to be continuous such that the operating element can be moved along the bore. For example, the bore can have the shape of the capital letter “H”, that is to say be composed of two parallel vertical bores and of one horizontal bore that is centrically disposed. It is advantageous for the minimum extent of the bore to be chosen only slightly larger than the diameter of the guide pin. On account thereof, stable guiding of the guide pin along the bore is achieved in the case of the guide pin being moved. For example, if the bore has the shape of a horizontal line, the minimum extent is the vertical dimension of the bore.
In that the operating element has a guide pin, fastening of the operating element to the display area is moreover enabled. To this end, the guide pin at the ends thereof can advantageously be comparatively thick, wherein the thickness of an end of the guide pin that faces the operating element is to be chosen greater than the minimum extent of a bore in the operating element, and the thickness of an end of the guide pin that faces the display area is to be chosen greater than the minimum extent of a bore in the display area. In that the thick end of the guide pin lies behind the bore, the guide pin cannot be moved out of the bore. It can thus be prevented that the operating element can be removed from the display area. The operating element is thus fixed to the display area in a simple manner, but is nevertheless movable in a translatory manner on the display area along the bore. In the case of an alternative design, the guide pin disposes of a constant thickness. In order for the guide pin to be fastened to the operating element and/or to the display area, a counter-element which fulfills the same purpose as the ends of the guide pin that are enlarged in terms of thickness of the previously mentioned embodiment is releasably or non-releasably connected in the operating element or on the rear side of the display area, respectively, to the respective end of the guide pin.
In order for a translatory movement of the operating element to be enabled it is necessary only for either the operating element or the display area to have a bore along which the guide pin is movable in a translatory manner. If and when the display area has the bore, that end of the guide pin that faces the operating element can advantageously be fixedly connected to the operating element. In the case of a translatory movement of the operating element the guide pin is then moved too. If and when the operating element has the bore, that end of the guide pin that faces the display area can advantageously be fixedly connected to the display area. In the case of a translatory movement of the operating element the guide pin is then not moved.
If the bore is provided in the operating element, this has the advantage that the bore is not visible in any position of the operating element, since said bore is obscured by the operating element. A further advantage lies in that, in the case of a given shape and dimension of the operating element, a comparatively large freedom of movement in which the bore is at all times covered by the operating element and is thus invisible is enabled. In order for this to be elucidated, an exemplary circular operating element having a diameter of two centimeters is to be assumed. The operating element is to receive a rectilinear region of movement. If and when the operating element has a guide pin that is centrically disposed and is movable in a rectilinear bore in the display area, the rectilinear bore can have a length of at most one centimeter in order for the bore to be covered by the operating element in any potential position of the latter. By contrast, if and when one end of a guide pin is securely fixed in the display area, and if and when a rectilinear bore is located in the operating element, the bore can have a length of at most two centimeters. The freedom of movement in this instance is thus of double the size.
In one design, the operating element is movable in a translatory manner substantially along a direction of main extent. In this case, the bore thus has an elongate shape which can extend substantially in a horizontal manner, vertical manner, or at any other angle. The bore may be a straight line but may also be slightly curved, for example if and when this is advantageous for aesthetic reasons. Particularly advantageously, the length of the bore in the display area, that is to say the extent in the direction of main extent, is chosen to be at most so large that the bore in the case of every potential position of the operating element is superimposed by the latter. In that the operating element is movable in a translatory manner substantially along a direction of main extent, a multiplicity of operating possibilities can be enabled for the user, despite the relatively simple embodiment of the invention.
The inventive display and operating device may be configured for detecting a further operating action being movable in a rotary manner on the display area. In other words, the operating element is thus movable not only in a translatory manner but additionally also in a rotary manner. A multiplicity of additional operating possibilities can be offered to the user in this manner. Uni-dimensional variables such as a temperature, for example, are typically set using rotary selectors. The operating element that is refined in such a manner in an exemplary use in a motor vehicle thus permits that region of which the temperature is to be modified to be initially set by means of a translatory movement, and subsequently the desired temperature to be set by means of a rotary movement. The rotary operating possibility, in addition to the translatory operating possibility, can be implemented in a particularly simple manner if and when the operating element on that side thereof that faces the display area has at least one marking, wherein an identification unit of the display and operating device is adapted for identifying a position of the at least one marking on the display area. The marking in this instance can be utilized both for identifying a translatory as well as a rotary movement.
The operating element may dispose of latching positions that are distributed across the region of movement. A latching position is characterized in that the force which has to be expended for moving the operating element out of the latching position is slightly higher than the force which is otherwise required for moving the operating element. Additionally, a latching position can be identifiable by way of an acoustic signal such as a muted click, for example, which sounds when the latching position is reached. In many design embodiments such an acoustic signal does not have to be generated separately but is created anyway when each latching position is reached. The latching positions can identify positions which the user of the operating element would preferably like to set in the course of the movement. However, the latching positions can also serve the purpose of imparting a haptic sensation to the user when moving the operating element. This is particularly advantageous when the user, when moving the operating element, cannot permanently direct his/her vision toward the operating element, such as can be the case in a motor vehicle in motion, for example. The latching positions can be distributed along the entire region of movement or along a part-region of the entire region of movement. The latching positions can be located along the translatory region of movement and/or along the rotary region of movement.
In one particularly advantageous embodiment, the latching positions that are distributed along the translatory region of movement in the case of an operating element having guide pins are formed in that elements along which the guide pin moves when the operating element moves are attached to the rear side of the display area. Particularly advantageously, the elements push with a minor force against the guide pin. The elements at the latching positions have notches which are suitable for at least partially receiving the guide pin. The notches are to be shaped such that the guide pin, when the operating element is moved further, can also easily exit the notch again, wherein to this end a force that in comparison with a movement outside the resting positions is slightly increased is to be required. Alternatively, it is also possible for the cross section of the bore that receives the guide pin to be slightly reduced at latching positions. Alternatively, it is also possible for the cross section of the bore that receives the guide pin to be slightly increased at latching positions, such that notches are created in the bore. In order to guarantee that the guide pin makes its way into such a notch at least partially, the guide pin is to be pushed with a minor force against that side of the bore on which the notch is located.
Furthermore, the operating element may be annular. This is particularly advantageous if and when the operating element is also movable in a rotary manner, that is to say is rotatable. A particularly advantageous refinement succeeds in that the operating element comprises at least two mutually contiguous or mutually engaging concentric annular elements. Mutually engaging concentric annular elements herein are to be understood to be in particular such elements in the case of which a first annular element therein receives a second annular element in such a manner that only the first element is visible on that side that faces the user of the operating element, while both elements are visible on that side of the operating element that faces the display area.
By way of these features, the guide pins of the operating element can be attached to the dissimilar annular elements of the operating element. In conjunction with the counter-elements of dissimilar design that are located on the rear side of the display area and are connectable to the guide pins and/or form latching positions through contact with the guide pins, the operating element can be designed in a particularly simple and nevertheless versatile manner.
In particular, the annular elements can be moved in a dissimilar manner when the operating element is moved. The annular elements in the case of a translatory movement can be moved collectively, whereas only one of the annular elements is moved in the case of a rotary movement, while the other of said annular elements is not moved.
The annular elements in their entirety can have a fully filled circular surface. In other words, the operating element can then be described as a geometrical circular cylinder. Alternatively, an internal region of the operating element can also remain free such that the operating element can be described as a geometrical hollow cylinder. This is particularly advantageous because the internal face that remains free can be utilized for displaying items of information.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of at least one embodiment when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: